Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso’s (Málaga, Spain, 1881 – Mougins, France, 1973) influence on 20th century art cannot be overstated. The son of an academic painter, he began to paint at an early age in a naturalistic manner. In 1900, he went to Paris for the first time, ultimately settling there in 1904. He painted in a variety of styles, and his work has been categorized into periods. The Blue Period is characterized by the primary use of blue and a few other hues; paintings tended to feature the poor and destitute. It is thought the suicide of his friend influenced the tone and subject matter. His next thematic subject was carnival performers, harlequins, and clowns, and he began to paint in lighter pink and orange hues, leading critics to dub this as his Rose Period. African and Oceanic art next began to...